Pro women cyclist salary: $5000 per year

Cycling fans commonly wonder how much pro cyclists make. Men can make enough to live on and almost support a family, especially if they rise above the Continental ranks, but women make beans or less and must somehow fit full time jobs in their training and competing schedule. I have known women and men at the lower ranks who sign on to a team just for the bike and team kit. I know of a cyclist for the Jelly Belly team who's bumming free rooms for the Tour of California.